


True Colors

by WyattShepard



Series: Dungeons and Dragons [9]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 08:17:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15092813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WyattShepard/pseuds/WyattShepard





	True Colors

            Jones blinked several times to clear the sleep from his eyes. He was pretty sure that it was still sometime before dawn. The sound of Uh’las snoring lightly confirmed that thought and made Jones smile. He sighed to himself and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, wincing as bare skin met the cold stone. It was then that he noticed Nikos wasn’t in his bed. The pirate frowned, got dressed and went looking for him. It didn’t take long to find the younger man on the roof of the inn that they were staying at, Jones knew how much Nikos liked looking at the stars. He assumed that he hadn’t been noticed yet and quietly snuck up behind the younger man, the clay roof tiles almost giving him away. The pirate then did a front flip and landed next to his friend in a relaxed sitting position.

            “How are you doin, lad,” Jones asked after Nikos had screamed and caught his breath.

            “Why would you do that, why sneak up on me,” Nikos asked with fake anger that didn’t fool Jones at all.

            “Why would you be up here if something wasn’t bothering you,” the pirate countered. Nikos didn’t seem to have a response for that and hung his head after a moment.

            “Davy, what am I,” the performer whispered. The pirate giving Nikos his full attention at the sound of his first name.

            “What do you mean by that boy,” Jones asked him, concerned for his friend.

            “Is this about what happened the other day,” He continued, seeing Nikos slam his eyes shut told him the answer.

            “That _thing_ or whatever I turned into during the fight. I can remember now, very clearly in fact. The bloodlust, the fear, rage, every emotion mixed together until you can’t tell one from the other anymore. All I know is that I was going to kill Uh’las, and that fucking bird, and probably even you if you weren’t already down,” Nikos struggled to hold back his tears but they started to freely roll down his cheeks.

            “Tell me Davy Jones, what the fuck am I,” the boy cried out desperately, his lip bleeding slightly where he had bitten into it while trying to hold his emotions in check. Jones was silent, his eyes hidden under the brim of his large hat, the only sounds around them were the wind and Nikos’s ragged sobs.

            “How long will it be until I lose control again, this time I might even hurt you. I can’t – I _won’t_ be the one to hurt you. I’ve talked to the shipmaster, he’s booked me passage that goes by my old merfolk village, I’m going back there so that I won’t hurt –” Jones slapped the boy up the back of his head.

            “What was that for,” Nikos shouted as he rubbed the back of his head.

            “Of all the half-assed, blight-ridden ideas you could come up with that’s what you settled on,” he asked as he raised his head, revealing his eyes. Anger boiled behind them, taking Nikos by surprise.

            “Lad – No, Nikos – Listen to me. You’re not some monster that has to be hidden away for the rest of his life. You’re my best friend, hell lad, you’re the closest thing I’ll ever have to a son,” Jones said, his voice gruff with emotion. Nikos was silent, stunned by the words the pirate had said. Jones was never this open with his emotions.

            “So you’re gonna have to go back to that shipmaster, whoever the poor bloke is, and tell him you won’t be going on that trip. Besides, do you think you could really get away from me,” He asked, this time smiling slightly.

            “But I don’t want to hurt you,” Nikos cried out desperately. Jones sighed and took his flask out of his jacket pocket.

            “Lad, you won’t hurt me. Your mom sealed it all back into that trinket of yours,” Jones said, pointing down at the shell tied around Nikos’s neck.

            “But what if I do! What if it fails like last time, or –” Jones reached over and slapped Nikos across the face, a dark purple handprint slowly taking shape on his cheek.

            “If that happens, then we figure it out then, lad. That’s what we do. We reach a problem, we adapt and overcome it,” the pirate said lowering his hand, “But one thing is certain, I ain’t leavin’ ya to face this alone.” The performer slowly lifted his hand to his cheek, tears forming in his eyes.

            “Thank you, Jones,” he said, quietly.

            “Don’t need to thank me, lad. Just need ya to stop this worrying and get off the damn roof. The guard will think we’re breaking into the place or something,” the pirate said, giving him a genuine smile.

            “Do you think we can find my dad, or at least find out where he is,” Nikos asked as he stood to follow Jones off the clay tile.

            “Sure lad, we’ll find the blaggard,” he responded, holding the door for the performer.

            “Good, I have a lot to catch up with him about,” Nikos said, a wicked smile crossing his face.


End file.
